Family's surprise ends in fears

If the Cachia family was not so close, Anthony Francis Cachia may not be missing, presumed dead.

The Melbourne chef made a stopover in Bali after a trip to Thailand to surprise his holidaying parents for his 33rd birthday.

When his parents, Charlie and Carmel, and sister Angela and her family went back to their hotel on Saturday night, he went to live it up at the Sari nightclub. He is missing.

Angela remains in Bali and her searches of the morgue have proved fruitless. Her parents have returned to their Reservoir home.

Mr Cachia was so traumatised by the disappearance of his son that he suffered a serious asthma attack on the plane home.

"It's because the family was so close-knit that led to his (Anthony's) demise," said his uncle, John Wills. "If he hadn't been so thoughtful and an integral part of the family unit he wouldn't have gone to Bali."

Anthony - his mother called him Francis - was a chef who loved to travel.

His brother-in-law, Andrew Dark, said Anthony was a fun-loving and family-oriented man who wanted to give his family a surprise by turning up unannounced at their Bali motel.

But on Sunday morning, he was nowhere to be found.

"After I heard about the bombing I checked in his room on Sunday morning and his bed was unmade and there was no sign of him," Mr Dark said.